Final answer:
The mass of the massive object at the center of the Milky Way galaxy can be estimated using the total mass of the galaxy, which is about 8.0 × 10¹¹ solar masses. Multiplying this by the mass of the Sun gives us a total mass of approximately 1.5912 × 10´² kilograms.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the mass m of the massive object at the center of the Milky Way galaxy, which is believed to be a supermassive black hole, we can use the fact that the Milky Way has an approximate mass of about 8.0 × 10¹¹ solar masses. This information comes from astronomical observations that consider the motion of stars and the gravitational effects exerted by the mass of the galaxy.
The mass of the luminous matter in the galaxy can be estimated by assuming there are about 10¹¹ stars of average mass 1.5 times that of our Sun. Luminous matter makes up only a fraction of the total mass, and the rest is dark matter. If the dark matter is approximately 10 times more massive than the luminous matter, we can calculate the total mass of the Milky Way.
The mass of the Milky Way, in kilograms, can be calculated using the mass of our Sun, which is approximately 1.989 × 10³° kilograms. Multiplying the Milky Way's mass in solar masses by the mass of the Sun gives us the total mass in kilograms.
Calculation
- Mass of the Milky Way = 8.0 × 10¹¹ solar masses.
- Total mass in kilograms = 8.0 × 10¹¹ × 1.989 × 10³° kg.
- Total mass in kilograms = 1.5912 × 10´² kg.
Therefore, the mass of the Milky Way galaxy is approximately 1.5912 × 10´² kilograms.